The Hike to Catarata del Toro: Costa Rica’s Most Epic Waterfall

What is Catarata del Toro?

Catarata del Toro is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Costa Rica! Seriously, it’s incredible, and pictures don’t do it justice. The waterfall plunges 270 feet, making it one of the tallest waterfalls in the country.

The water for Catarata del Toro comes from the Poas Volcano, found in the Poas Volcano National Park. The water makes its way down from the volcano through the remote mountains and falls over a rock ledge into an ancient volcanic crater. The falls are surrounded by green mossy rock and shrouded in mist from the waterfall itself and the surrounding cloud forest.

Catarata del Toro has a surprisingly low number of visitors, so we consider it to be a hidden gem. Most tourists traveling through this area of Costa Rica focus on the more well-known waterfalls, such as La Fortuna Waterfall or Rio Celeste. This is baffling to us because Catarata del Toro is the most stunning of them all.

Where is Catarata del Toro?

Catarata del Toro is found in a tiny community called Bajos del Toro, just north of Costa Rica’s Central Valley. The picturesque town is part of the highland cloud forest. It’s about halfway between San Jose (where most visitors fly into Costa Rica) and La Fortuna (a very popular tourist destination).

Catarata del Toro is located in a cloud forest, which is essentially a rainforest but at a much higher altitude. Cloud forests are rare and Costa Rica is lucky enough to have three of them. The high altitude and tropical conditions create an abundance of mist and fog that hovers over the forest canopies.

Because of the cloud forest conditions, the waterfall is often cloaked in a thick fog. This was the case during our visit. It was actually so foggy when we first started the hike that we couldn’t even see the waterfall until we reached the bottom! Fortunately, the fog began to clear when we reached the base and continued to clear as we made our way back up the mountain.

The town of Bajos del Toro has several other waterfalls in addition to Catarata del Toro, as well as natural pools, incredible hikes, and tons of exotic birds. It’s actually a very popular destination for bird watchers.

How to Get to Catarata del Toro

To reach Catarata del Toro, you’ll need to hike through a private ecological reserve. The reserve is actually called Catarata del Toro Adventures, which sounds like the name of a tour company, but it’s not — it’s just the name of the reserve.

Fortunately, Catarata del Toro comes right up on Google Maps and Waze. If you’re coming from La Fortuna, just follow your GPS until you get to Route 140, then look for Route 708 on your right. When you turn down Route 708, you’ll follow a long winding road for about 25 minutes before you reach the visitor’s center on your right.

If you’re coming from San Jose, we recommend taking Route 126 towards La Paz Waterfall Gardens (which we highly recommend you stop at). About 40 minutes past La Paz Waterfall Gardens, you’ll turn left onto Route 708 and follow it until you reach the visitor’s center. San Jose has three different routes it could take you on, so be sure to plug La Paz Waterfall Gardens into your GPS to stay on this specific route. Not only is Route 126 more scenic, but it’s also smoother and easier to drive than the other routes (although you should still look out for potholes!)

💣_{Antisocial Tourist Tip — Just past La Paz Waterfall Gardens is La Paz Waterfall, which is a massive waterfall right on the side of the road! This is a popular stop and shouldn’t be missed. You can actually walk behind the giant waterfall. You’ll also find various fruit vendors lined up along the road here. Police are sometimes found here during busy hours to help direct traffic.}

Things to Know Before Hiking to Catarata del Toro

There are a few basic things you should really know about traveling through Costa Rica, especially if you’re going off the beaten path to a place like Catarata del Toro. There are also some things you should be aware of before starting your hike to the waterfall.

Costa Rica Tips

• Daylight Hours — Costa Rica sits near the equator, so the sun sets and rises very quickly and around the same time of day, every day of the year. The sun rises between 5 am and 6 am and sets between 5 pm and 6 pm, depending on the time of year.
  
• Do NOT Drive at Night — It’s important not to drive at night in Costa Rica. Partly for safety reasons, but mostly because of potholes! Costa Rica’s potholes are like massive craters! They will swallow one of your tires whole. You should only drive during daylight hours so you can properly see oncoming potholes.
  
• No Cell Service — It’s common not to have cell service in remote areas of Costa Rica. We highly recommend downloading an offline map before your trip. You should also have a paper map of the country to refer to in emergencies.

Catarata del Toro Tips

• Reservations — Reservations are not needed. Just show up, purchase a pass, and start the hike. Admission costs $14 per person. If you’re not interested in doing the hike, but you still want to see the waterfall from above (you can see it without hiking to it, more on that below), you still need to pay the full $14 for admission.
  
• Hours of Operation — Since the waterfall is on a private reserve, it’s only accessible during the reserve’s business hours. They are open Monday through Saturday from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm and closed on Sundays.
  
• Pets are Not Allowed — Pets are not allowed on the trail because it can be incredibly dangerous.
  
• Hike At Your Own Risk — This waterfall is in a very remote location, so you won’t see many other hikers around. You may have the entire hiking trail all to yourself. During our hike, we only saw three other hikers in passing. When we got to the base of the falls, we had it to ourselves for over 30 minutes before seeing another person. If you get hurt during your hike, it will take quite a while for someone to get to you.
  
• Stairs, Stairs, Stairs — The trail is primarily made up of stairs. And not just any stairs — steep, slippery, and uneven stairs. The stairs are well maintained but still challenging in parts. Trekking poles are strongly encouraged. A pole will give you leverage when going up or down the steep steps.

What to Expect on the Hike to Catarata del Toro

Admission

The reserve is open Monday through Saturday from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admission is $14 per adult and $7 per child, although we wouldn’t recommend taking young children on this trail. They also offer a combo ticket for $25 that includes Blue Falls, which is just up the road.

You’ll likely be greeted by Wil, one of the owners of the reserve. He’s very kind and enthusiastic about anyone who’s interested in exploring the area. He runs the main office and can also help you book some of the other activities offered, like hummingbird photoshoots and guided tours of Blue Falls. They also have a lodge that you can rent for the night.

Once you pay for admission, you’ll find a small restaurant set up to your left and bathrooms to your right. You’ll exit the open-air lodge through the back door to get to the trailhead. Next to the exit, you’ll find a bin full of wooden walking sticks. If you don’t bring your own trekking poles, you’ll want to take one. They’re free to use on the hike. You’ll understand why very soon.

The Hike

When you walk out the back door, you’ll see a sign pointing to the Garden on your left and another sign pointing to the Catarata on your right. You’ll follow the white arrows towards the Catarata all the way to the base of the falls, then follow the green arrows on your way back up. We noticed that the trail is labeled as a loop on many maps, but only the last part is set up that way. The majority of it is a typical out-and-back trail.

After a short and flat walk through the forest, you’ll come to the concrete steps that make up the first half of the trail. They are very steep but the railing along the side will provide some stability. The steps are shaped like a spiral staircase but with square edges, so it’s difficult to see other hikers behind or ahead of you unless you hear them coming.

The second half of the trail is made up of dirt steps. The dirt steps are not quite as steep, but they are still challenging. You’ll be able to view the waterfall again at this point too. There are several beautiful lookouts with concrete benches where you can rest and enjoy the view.

When you reach the final platform, you’ll have a great view of the falls, but you won’t be as close as you may expect. To get right up to the waterfall, you’ll need to take the makeshift muddy path to your left, even further into the crater. If you’re not prepared to climb over some very slick rock and be misted from head to toe with water, skip this part.

It takes the average person roughly 30 minutes to get to the bottom of the trail, and 45 minutes to come back up. You can expect the entire trip to take about an hour and a half. It took us two and a half hours, but we went all the way to the very bottom and spent at least 30 minutes exploring the base of the falls.

When you’re done, you’ll take the same dirt steps and concrete steps back up to the top. There’s no sugarcoating it — it’s a workout. This may be the most challenging trail we’ve ever done, but it was also the most rewarding.

The Garden

Once you’re done with the hike and back at the visitor’s center, your hard work is over. You can freshen up, grab a bite to eat, or explore the garden, which is included in the price of admission. The garden is just outside of the visitor’s center, in the opposite direction of the waterfall trail.

The garden is beautiful and you should definitely take some time to explore it before or after your hike. It’s filled with tons of exotic fauna, fruit trees, hummingbirds (which are abundant in Costa Rica), and even Toucans. It’s a really peaceful area.

The garden trail is just under half a mile, but you’ll be surrounded by beauty just moments after starting the walk. There’s nothing significant at the end of the trail, so if you’re short on time, or exhausted from the hike to Catarata del Toro, you can just enjoy the beauty of the garden at the start of the trail.

Is it Safe to Swim at Catarata del Toro?

No, it is not safe to swim at Catarata del Toro. The falls are incredibly powerful so swimming conditions are just too dangerous. Swimming is strictly prohibited and a fence has been put up around the waterfall’s base. You can see the fence in the photo above but don’t worry, it’s hardly noticeable in pictures if you’re not looking for it.

You may come across another site or post that says swimming is allowed here, but it’s incorrect. Costa Rica has so many waterfalls, and many with the same names, that information is often mixed up. Trust us when we say that you are not allowed to swim here.

The hike to Catarata del Toro ends on a small platform overlooking the falls. There is another series of mud and stone steps beyond this platform that you can take to the base of the falls. The steps are extremely slick so if you have mobility issues please do not attempt this.

We did choose to go down these steps, and it was very challenging but worth it. Just expect to get even wetter than you may already be. The falls are powerful so there is no avoiding the mist the further down to the base you go. You can also climb over some of the rocks near the falls, but again, they’re very slick, so be careful.

Can I See Catarata del Toro Without Hiking?

Yes, you can actually see Catarata del Toro from above, without hiking to the bottom of it. Right at the trailhead, just steps past the visitor’s center, there’s a viewing area. The above photo shows the view from this spot.

If you really don’t want to do the hike, but still want to see the falls, there are two important things to consider. First, you still have to pay the $14 admission to get to the viewing platform. There are no exceptions, even if you’re just passing by for a quick photo. And second, there may be too much fog to see the waterfall from above on the day of your visit.

When we arrived at Catarata del Toro, it was so foggy that we couldn’t see the waterfall at all from the viewing area. We didn’t even get our first glimpse of the falls until halfway through the hike. Fortunately, the fog started to lift by the time we got to the bottom, and was entirely gone when we finished the hike.

Where to Stay Near Catarata del Toro

Other than the lodge that can be rented directly from Catarata del Toro Adventures, there is only one other accommodation option in the town of Bajos del Toro. El Silencio Lodge and Spa is the only hotel in town, and it just happens to be a luxury resort. If you have a chance to stay here, you won’t regret it, but if it’s out of your budget, you’ll need to stay in a nearby town instead.

📍El Silencio Lodge and Spa
20 minutes from Catarata del Toro
El Silencio Lodge and Spa is the closest accommodation to the falls. This hotel is absolutely gorgeous, offering luxury amenities, an on-site restaurant, and a full spa. It’s only a 20-minute drive (or a 15-minute hike) to the Catarata del Toro trailhead from the lodge. After a day of excitement and adventure, there is no better place to wind down than El Silencio. Reserve your room early, this place is usually sold out.

📍Peace Lodge [We Stayed Here!]
1 hour from Catarata del Toro
This hotel is part of the La Paz Waterfall Gardens and it’s one of the most unique properties we’ve ever stayed at. It’s still quite pricey, but slightly less expensive than the El Silencio Lodge and Spa. This hotel is pure magic — the rooms incorporate plants and nature into the decor theme, and most rooms come with a private balcony hot tub. The property itself is also stunning, with lush gardens, large pools, and a whole wildlife center to explore. We hiked to Catarata del Toro on our way here from La Fortuna.

📍Hotel Mango Valley
1 hour 15 minutes from Catarata del Toro
This hotel is a great option if you’re looking for something more budget-friendly. The rooms are clean, comfortable, and well-appointed. The view of the surrounding valley and coffee plantations from this spot is unreal. If you’re interested in visiting both Catarata del Toro and La Paz Waterfall Gardens, this is the perfect place to stay, as it’s centrally located. A full breakfast is even included with your stay!

What to Pack for Catarata del Toro

Catarata del Toro is in a remote location, so you shouldn’t start the hike without being prepared. The hike is only 1.3 miles, but it’s pretty intense, with a steep elevation change of 465 feet! Be sure to pack plenty of water and wear your best hiking shoes. We also recommend trekking poles.

• Waterproof Bag — This is our favorite waterproof drybag! It keeps all of our things protected from rain and water, and the roll-top closure ensures our things will stay dry in even the wettest scenarios.
• Hiking shoes — You’ll want shoes with lots of traction because of the slick ground. Hiking sandals would also work. Our favorite brand for hiking shoes and boots is Sorel. They have tons of waterproof options and their shoes are comfortable and high quality.
• Trekking Poles — After you pay to do the hike to Catarata del Toro, you’ll be encouraged to take one of their wooden hiking sticks to use on your hike. If you’d prefer to use your own, we recommend these collapsible trekking poles, which fold up and fit in a carry-on bag!
• Bug spray — Mosquitos and other insects are prevalent in Costa Rica. Don’t forget your bug spray!
• Water — Bring plenty of water for this hike, even though it’s short! Use an extra large water bottle or a hydration bladder.
• Snacks — Bring some protein-rich snacks, such as protein bars, nuts, and jerky. Although the trail is not long, it is strenuous, so you’ll want some fuel.
• Small first aid kit — It’s always smart to keep a small first aid kit in your bag, especially on remote hikes like this one. Even if you don’t think you’ll need it for yourself, it could help others in an emergency situation.

Other Things To Do Near Catarata del Toro

There are tons of awesome things to do in Bajos del Toro and the surrounding province. Catarata del Toro is just one of the many waterfalls in the area. Here are some other things worth exploring nearby:

• Blue Falls — Blue Falls, also known as Cataratas Las Gemelas, is also found on the private reserve where Catarata del Toro is located. You can even purchase a combo ticket that includes both waterfalls and do both hikes on the same day. If you want to do both falls, but you prefer to hike with a guide, check out this tour.
  
• Poás Volcano Crater — You can actually hike to the rim of the Poás Volcano Crater! The volcano’s gasses are monitored daily to ensure it’s safe, so you’ll want to check the park’s website before your hike.
  
• La Fortuna — If you’re visiting Catarata del Toro, you probably already plan on spending time in La Fortuna. La Fortuna is one of our favorite areas in Costa Rica. There are tons of things to do, including hot springs, waterfalls, hikes, and ziplining. There are also tons of guided and combined tours in the area. Check them out here.
  
• La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park — If you’re driving between San Jose and La Fortuna, a stop at La Paz Waterfall Gardens is a must! We loved our time here. We also stayed on the property overnight, and it was magical. La Paz Waterfall Gardens is home to the largest animal sanctuary in Costa Rica, as well as numerous waterfalls and incredible hiking trails. Click here for some of the different tours you can take that include the La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park.

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